Why the Redeem Team is not our national football team... A special one for Lolu

"If some people think that it is not important for the players to play [at the Olympics], then you might understand why our national [A-]team plays at such a low level."

These are the words of the Olympic and U20 trainer De Sart after the game against Nigeria. I completely understand this and I agree with him for various reasons. For you to understand, I will give you a short history. It all started some months ago when some teams refused to release players for the Olympic squad because it is not obligated by the FIFA. So important players where forced to stay home, and if they (after a long battle) were released by their clubs, they were often called back earlier (after 1 or 2 games). For example players like Kompany and Fellaini. And our league didn't try that hard to put pressure on the teams neither. When Kompany wanted to stay at his own risk (his team called him back and he ignored that) our league didn't support him at all. This under the "there was a contract" excuse. This guy was willing to stick out his neck for the team and this is what he gets in return?! If I were him, I would refuse to play again for these bastards! Patriotism or not! So this all resulted in a very limited group of only 16 players. In our last match against Nigeria, we were even forced to play with three n# 10 players (playmakers) just to have enough players at the pitch. So I do understand why he says that statement. This team was playing an amazing tournament and after our quarter finals, they called up some strikers (cause we only had two strikers and one is more an attacking midfielder and not a true striker) and the teams refused to release the player! So how can someone expect the national team to perform well when it is being boycotted by the teams who refuse to release the players?! Congrats to the players and coach for still performing this well, even though your own league f**** you like a little b****! You guys are the stars, no matter what happens in the race for bronze. Be proud of yourself because you did not get any support from those bastards! A lot of you guys are better than the A-Squad. Don't listen to those selfproclaimed stars who think they are much better than you (guys like Sonck who hasn't prouved anything yet, except for how to fail everywhere you play!).

And now a special history course for Lolu. Girl, we all know you and sports don't match. You just prouved that today... The Redeem Team is the American men's basketball team, it is not our Red Devils. Let me explain you the name Redeem team. It all goes back to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. That year the USA sent some of the best players ever like Jordan, Pippen, Johnson and Barley to the games. They won with such an ease that they were called the Dream Team. They kept winning until Athens 2004. In 2004 they had no motivation whatsoever and they only got a bronze medail. Same for the World Championship... So for Beijing 2008 they only selected players that wanted to die on the pitch if they had to. Players that were eager to get that gold medal... Some people started to call them the Dream Team again because the biggest players of the NBA were in that team, for example Wade, James, Bryant, Anthony, Bosh,... But they refused to carry that name because there is only one Dream Team. So instead they been named the Redeem Team because these guys want redemption. They want the gold medal back and want to flush away the bad memories of the past years. So next time you think you can make fun of me, be sure you know what you are talking about because now you only showed everyone you didn't have a single clue... So it is impossible for your country to have beaten them unless they a) invented a new sport (footbasket or something like that) or b) Nigeria has a basketbal team that has beaten the States which is impossible because the men did not play today. Or is my mind failing me? Let's see... Nope!

Is it arrogance or supremacy? If anyone seen the semi-finals of the men's 200m, you will know what I am talking about. Usain Bolt vs Athens 2004 gold medalist Shawn Crawford. Before the games, Crawford claimed he would be the first one breaking Michael Johnsons world record. With this statement he was "provoking" Bolt. But today they had to race against each other in the semi-finals... Bolt didn't break the WR (yet) but the way he won the race says more than words. First he let Crawford run a small gap and then he just jogged past him to show Crawford who the fastest man is... When the race was over, Bolt did his typical moves... I'm almost certain Crawford could eat his own shoes! But there is no excitement anymore. Or yes there is... The only excitement is not who is going to win, but it will be the time he runs. How long will it take before he can set a WR and how fast will he run that world record. That's the only thrill at the moment. Honour to he who deserves to be honoured. I've always been a Powell fan but yet I have to admit that Bolt does what Asafa was never been able to do: win under pressure. Bolt looks clumsy (probably due to his length) but he is effective and only 21. So give this guy some more years and Johnson's old WR will be history. I'm not saying this year but surely next year.

Because it has been such a long time I left a song for you all to listen, I have a very special one. This guy is called José James and I saw him performing live on Jazz Middelheim some days ago. He brings contemporary jazz with a yankees hat! No kidding. But he's great. Enjoy the song.